Ornamental flower holder



ORNAMENTAL FLOWER HOLDER Filed Dec. 20, 1957 ERNEST C. Gsss ATTO R N EYS ticular illustrated embodiment thereof will be Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENTAL FLOWER HOLDER Ernest O. Gebs, New York, N. Y.

Application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,907

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ornamental flower holders especially in portable, collapsible flower holders useful in decorating tables and the like.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel type of flower holder, parts of which when desired can be rearranged or adjusted to provide other structures of a useful character such as, for example, a candy dish, a table ornament, a device useful in the ornamentation of cakes, a candle holder, as well as other applications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure useful as hereinbefore indicated which can be collapsed and folded into substantially small bulk for purposes of storage.

It is a feature or the device according to the present invention that it is substantially economical to manufacture, comprising as it does relatively few parts all of which are readily adapted to mass production with concomitant economies.

Other objects and advantages of the structure ,according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing- Fig. lis a top plan view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is substantially a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1 taken along the line 2-2.

In order to facilitate a clear understanding of the matter of the present invention the parhereinaiter described but it is to be clearly un derstood that this embodiment of the present invention is given by way of example and is nonlimitative.

Referring now to the drawing, Figs 1 and 2 illustrate a device according to the present invention assembled for use as a flower holder. A base generally designated at 10 supports an upright pillar-like member H positioned in the center thereof upon which is carried a superstructure generally designated at l2. The base l comprises an upwardly protuberant substantially circular sheet l3 provided with upturned edge portions I4 having a projecting annular flange 15 adapted to engage with other parts of the structure as will be hereinafter described.

The convex base portion I3 is provided with a number of pierced openings several of which are designated at It. It is preferred that these openings be formed by piercing a sheet whereby openings are formed having upturned rough edges substantially as shown. Near the center of the base plate IS a threaded projecting, lug ll is formed integral with said base plate and 5 adapted to engage with threaded parts of a truncated conical member l8 whereby said member l8 can be substantially firmly associated with said base plate. The upper part of the member i8 is threaded to receive and cooperate 10 with threaded portions IS formed on the lower part of the pillar member generally designated at l l whereby the pillar when associated with the member l8 and the member I0 associated with the threaded part I! can be supported substan- 1 5 tially perpendicularly relative to the plate !3.

The upper part of the pillar member H is provided with a threaded portion 26 adapted to be received in and threadedly engaged with a block-likernember 2|. The block-like member 2! is substantially circular in longitudinal crosssection and is provided with an upwardly extending threaded part 22 substantially as shown, said threaded part being adapted to engage with threaded parts of another block-like member 23. It will be noted that the member 23 is likewise substantially circular in outline and is provided near the center thereof with a tapered opening generally designated at 24, the sides of the tapered opening being provided with threads 25 adapted to engage and cooperate with threads 26 formed in the truncated conical member l8, whereby said member l8 can be positioned within said block 23 if desired. Lugs 21 and 28 are carried in the assembly comprising blocks 2i and 23, being held in position by engagement with the ends of said blocks as the block 23 is grouped upon the projecting portion 22 to block 2i. It will be noted that the position can be substantially varied by loosening the blocks from thread ed engagement. The lugs 2'! and 28 are provided at the end with upturned edges forming hooklike elements arranged to receive U-shaped sup porting means 29 and 30, whereby the superstructure generally designated at H! can be readily carried upon the supporting structure comprising the base generally designated at H] and the members associated with the pillar generally designated at H It will be noted that although. but two of the projecting lugs are indicated in 50 Fig. 2 that a plurality of these lugs is provided and is adapted to engage with each of the supporting members 29, 30, 3|, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 whereby the super-structure can be substantially firmly carried on said lugs as shown. It 55 will be noted that a handle member 3'! is provided and attached substantially concentrically to the block-like member, whereby when it is desired the said block-like member with its appurtenant parts can be moved about by means of said handle.

The super-structure generally designated at l2 comprises an inner ring 46 adapted to be carried substantially concentrically with the block-like member 23 being held in position by the lugs and supporting members 29-% carried on said member 40. Arms ii and 42 are substantially fixedly secured to said member 4% to extend radially and diametrically from said member and substantially in the same plane, whereby a structure is provided essentially as shown. the arms 4! and i2 carry near an outer extremity thereof a substantially circular ring-like member 43, the said ring-like member being fixedly se-- cured to said arms. Intermediate said ring l3 and the member All is positioned a plurality of annular members M, 45 and M5, each of said annular members comprising two parts attached to said arms by means including hinges generally designated 4?, at, 4 9, 58, 5| and 52. It will be noted that the ring-like members 43, M, 45 and 46 are disposed substantially concentrically relative to each other and to the annular member Referring now to the hinges il 33, 39, 5b, 5! and 52, it will be noted that each hinge comprises a plate hingedly attached to one of the arms and an end portion 'hingedly attached to said plate connected to a portion of one of the ring-like members, whereby if desired one portion of ring-like member can be turned and disposed upon the other half of the helm-circle for purposes to be hereinafter described. It will also be noted that if desired the hinged plates can be disposed adjacent one of the arms whereby the concentric ring-like annular segments can be moved perpendicularly relative to the base member but disposed in a plane substantially parallel thereto. t is to be understood that the hinge elements are formed in a manner whereby friction between moving parts thereof sufiices to hold the elements in any selected position in which they are placed, although, of course. the elements can be easily manually moved by mild application of force. Each of the ring-like members 43, 45. 55 and id is provided with a plurality of inwardly turned parts, some of which are designated at 6b, and with a number of projecting lugs some of which are designated at 6|, It will also be noted that the outer annular member Mi is provided with rings attached on a peripheral part thereof. t will be noted that the various members iili, 6i and 52 are arranged on the annular members at positions corresponding to aliquot portions of a circle, that is to say on a given annulus, and formations Gil, hi or 52 carried thereon will be equally spaced relative to each other.

It will be noted that' the structure illustrated in l and 2 is useful as a flower holder, the

- lower or base portion generally designated at ill being positioned within a bowl of water if desired and the flowers being arranged with their stems extending through and between the annular ring-like members 13, 4d, 15 and t6 and the lower ends of said stems resting upon the perforated plate 53. It will be noted that in arranging the flowers the rings 34, i5 and ill can be moved on the hinges d'i, ill, d9, 55, 5! and 52 thereby facilitating arrangement of the flowers preparatory to final disposition of the ring like In Fig. 1'

members in their normal concentric relationship, whereby the flowers are substantially prevented from moving relative to each other by means including the projecting parts 50 and BI formed in said annular members. If desired additional ornaments can be carried in the rings 52 mounted on the outer annulus 43, for example, in the use of the device according to the present invention flags or the like could be positioned in said rings 52.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the type described comprising a base portion, an upright supporting member firmly but removably associated with said base, a super-structure adapted to be carried on and supported by said upright member, said superstructure comprising a substantially cylindrical member, internally dependent arms adapted to be received in and cooperate with formations on saidupright member, a pair of radially extending arms positioned on the outer part of said substantially cylindrical member, said arms being positioned substantially diametrically with respect to each other on said member, annular members carried on said arms positioned concentrically with respect to each other and with respect to said substantially cylindrical member, said annular members being adapted to reoeive and hold flowers and the like positioned therebetween.

2. A device of the type described comprising a base portion, an upright supporting member firmly but removably associated with said base, a super-structure adapted to be carried on and supported by said upright member, said superstructure comprising a substantially cylindrical member, internally dependent arms adapted to be received in and cooperate with formations on said upright member, a pair of radially extending arms positioned on the outer part of said substantially cylindrical member, said arms being positioned substantially diametrically with respect to each other on said member, annular members carried on said arms positioned concentrically with respect to each other and with respect to said substantially cylindrical member, said annular members being arranged in different planes, all of said annular members except the outermost being associated with said arms by means including hinged elements whereby a portion of each of said annular members can be movedint'o planes at angles to as well as parallel to the plane defined by the outermost annular member, said annular members being adapted to receive and hold flowers and the like positioned. therebetween.

3, A device of the type described comprising a base portion, said base comprising a substan tially circular disc having upturned flanged edge portions, an upwardly protuberant perforate central portion, the edges of the perforation being rough and irregular, a threaded upwardly projecting block-like member formed of and near the central part of said base member, a

- super-structure adapted to be carried on and supported by said upright member, said superstructure comprising a substantially cylindical member, internally dependent arms adapted to be received in and cooperate with formations on said upright member, a pair of radially extending arms positioned on the outer part of said substantially cylindrical member, said arms being positioned substantially diametrically with respect to each other on said member, annular members carried on said arms positioned concentrically with respect to each other and with respect to said substantially cylindrical member, said annular members being arranged in different planes, all of said annular members except the outermost being associated with said arms by means including hinged elements whereby a portion of each of said annular members can be moved into planes at angles to as well as parallel to the plane defined by the outermost annular member, said annular members being adapted to receive and hold flowers and the like positioned therebetween.

ERNEST C. GEBS. 

